Railway cross-tie.



A. B. WETHERBLL.

RAILWAY CROSS TIB. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 1o, i968.

Patented Feb.l 28, 19,11.

ms Mamas P'nrsres cn., wAsmNcran, D. c.

.ANSON B. WETHERELL, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY CROSS-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 10, 1908.

Patented Feb. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 442,983.

To all whom it may concern:

De it known that I, AN sonT B. IVE'FHERnLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg', in the county of Allegheny and State ol Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Cross-Ties, of which the following is a speciication.

My invention has relation particularly to wooden railway cross ties and has t'or its primary object: the provision ot' an improved iorm ot cross tie, wherein .not only short lengths ot tio lumber may be utilized, but also the sound portions ot old and damaged wooden ties to form new ties, thereby lessening the present loss of valuable material and reducing the maintenance cost` ot' railroads. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figures l to S inclusive are views of ties showing various embodiments of my invention, certain of the parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction employed.

In carrying out my invention I employ short lengths of lumber, or the sound portions oit' damaged ties, using two or more ot.' suoli portions A-A to form a new tie. The abutting ends B of the portions A-A are suitably cut to have neat engagement with one another and are protected from the effects of the weather and elements by .means of a coating oit tar, cement, asphalt, concrete or other suitable material. The opposing tie portions are held in position by means of a central longitudinal holding member D embedded in the abutting ends. In .Figure l the holding member D consists of a piece o't metal having pointed ends Cw-C and provided with screw threads E adapted to draw and hold the opposing members firmly together. In Figure 2 the holding member is shown provided with oppositely directed barbs adapted to be embedded in the meet ing end portions. In Figure 3 the opposing members are shown with their abutting ends beveled, spikes F being provided. for positioning the parts on the holding memberD.

In Figure 4l. in addition to the holding member D and spikes F, a rod G is provided, which rod extends from the holding member to the end of the opposing tie member A where it is secured by the nut H, thus constituting an additional drawing and holding means. rPhe device of Figure 5 is similar to that ol Figure 4l, save that a pair of longitudinal rods G are employed. Fieure 6 is another view o'lf the device otl Figure In Figure 7 the threaded holding member D is provided with openings to receive draw spikes F, adapted to draw the parts together'. In the construction of Figure 8, the holding member D is provided with an opening to receive a single longitudinally extending rod G, which is secured to both ends ot. the tie by means oit nuts II.

It is to be observed that when the parts are drawn together the tar, cement, or other material used on the ends ot the abutting tie portions assists greatly in securing solidity of the tie as a whole. The abutting ends, it so desired, may be roughened, scored, or grooved to forni crevices into which the coating material employed may enter to secure greater strength and solidity.

By this construction a very strong and practical tie is secured. 'lhe foregoing advantages and others incident to my construction will readily occur to those familiar with the art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the tollowing:-

l. vA wooden railway cross tie comprising in combination, a pair of opposing tie members having abutting ends and a substantially central longitudinal holding member provided with outstanding projections for engaging the opposing tie members,

2. A wooden railway Cross tie comprising in combination, opposing tie members, a substantially central longitudinal holding member and means extending from the central longitudinal holding member to an end oi the tie for drawing and holding the members together.

3. A wooden railway cross tie comprising in combination opposing tie members having abutting ends, a substantially central longitudinal holding' member for holding the opposing tie members and additional securing means for holding the opposing tie members und t-lie central longitudinal member in poadditional means for holding the opposing sition. tie member@l and the central longitudinal 4L. A Wooden railway cross tie comprising hol-ding Vmember in position. in combination opposing tie members, a snb- A. B. VETHERELL. 5 stantially central longitudinal holding member embedded in the ends of the opposing tie members for holding,` them in position7 and litnesses S. J. TooLE, JAMES TORRENCE.

Copies of vthis patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

